


Who Is The Stalker

by Mahozahamy_Arisugawa



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Alternate Universe Characters, Drama, Emotional Abuse, Horror, Interactive, M/M, Manipulation, Mild Gore, Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Psychological Horror, Readers Get to Decide Ending, Readers Get to Decide Main Pairing, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2020-11-27 23:05:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20956403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mahozahamy_Arisugawa/pseuds/Mahozahamy_Arisugawa
Summary: Mettaton, the most popular monster celebrity of the world, and Papyrus  had been dating for a while.However not everything has been as sweet and perfect as it looks.When everything he believes true changes abruptly for the worse, Papyrus, amist the chaos will make a choice.  Unaware that his decision will set certain forces in motion.Things that so far where hiding, lurking on the darkness... waiting for the moment.  For the perfect chance.For him.With a gift appearing on strange circumstances, terrible things start to happen all around him, everywhere... Everything slowly slips into madness.Monsters lie.... And EVERYONE has something to hide.  Who is Papyrus' stalker?*Notes:This story is interactive. Reader's vote will decide the Main Pairing.There are two options: Papyrus/Blue (UT!Papyrus/US!Sans) or Edge/Papyrus (UF!Papyrus/UTPapyrys)  Each of them has its own characteristics and defines the story in one way or another.You can vote by commenting your preferred one.(Votes will end by the publication date of Ch. 3 and next vote option for 'Ending' will begin )





	1. Chapter One: Prognosis

I

Papyrus was crying. He didn't wanted to. But he couldn't help the streams of magic that poured from his sockets. He... refused to believe that the monster right there with him was really his Mettaton.

The caring, sweet, and happy monster he fell in love with was not him. Instead he was looking at a monster full of rage and hate.

With so much disdain in the words he was using as weapons, filling them with venom and the intention to hurt.

Someone he didn't recognize

He was nothing like his love, it felt like he was looking at a complete stranger. As if something, decidedly horrible and dark, was occupying the vessel of the one who he loved most...

Papyrus refused to believe what he was hearing.

It was surely not true... It couldn't be true... There was no way... They had their problems, of course. Nothing bad. Everybody had them, was part of life... but their love was stronger than any trouble...

He had always had believed it... This... this was worse than a simple discussion, than a disagreement.

Worse than anything ever before...

He had always tried his best to be patient and understanding. He knew that Metatton's work was very demanding and that the pressure he endured was a lot. That sometimes he was tense and could be irritable.

But Papyrus loved him all the same.

He did his best. At all times. He was the one who went to see him. The one who called. The one who planned all their romantic dates. Papyrus did that gladly every single time for them to have more time with each other.

For them to have the chance to enjoy even the briefest of moments.

He did that out of pure love.

Not with the intention to be overbearing... He had been always there for him even when most of the time their schedules simply didn't paired up. Just to say hello. To reassure Mettaton of his support.

Sometimes his boyfriend looked tired and fed up... that was true... But he had believed it was just the stress from work.

That their love for each other was strong and will eventually overcome the adversities life insisted to put on their way...

Now it seemed like only he saw it that way. His impression that everything was going well was only his. He didn't realized it was this bad. Never thought his boyfriend... felt like this.

But seeing the anger, the fury in his eyes as he screamed at him... They had been only dating for a year and a few months.

Within that time, his whole life turned one hundred and eighty degrees...

Every single thing was different.

At first Papyrus had felt a little overwhelmed with all the attention the media human and monster alike gave to them and their relationship.

He found it a little weird for their faces to be plastered all over the magazines that talked about them. He found it even more weird the interviews their mutual friends started to do.

Papyrus liked being recognized and having many friends. But sometimes... it was just too much.

Ultimately he decided it was a thing that came with popularity, a small price to pay for being at the side of a star.

He did his best to always smile, and to have a kind word for each fan.

Once, a very long time ago, when he had almost no friends back in the underground he had wished to be this popular.

Now if his wish had taught him something was that not everything was marvelous and fun as he thought. In reality too much popularity was very different than in movies. It could be tiresome. And cause so many unexpected troubles.

Everyone knew they were dating for example. And while the most of them like them together. Some not. Some seemed to hate him for taking away from them what their perceived as only theirs.

It was soul-breaking.

Papyrus started to receive a great amount of hate mail at the beginning of their relationship. He had been called names, and in some cases they had thrown things at him... out of hate.

Most times Mettaton fans, people and monsters from every corner of the world wanted to know everything about them. The thing was they wanted every single detail of their lives. All of them.

From where and what they ate, to Mettaton's schedule. And everything in between. Pictures of his outfits. Videos of his shows. Merchandising... Interviews... What kind of shoes Dr. Alphys was working in for him. What upgrade was next. What was new?

Everything was on the eye of the public. And they were being judged by it... at all times.

Mettaton's human agent had always been a blessing in those times. Nice. Kind. And so, so helpful. He had been the one who told him to ignore all the hate mail, to just throw it in to the trash. Eventually he even offered to read his mail for him first and throw away anything hateful or unnecessary.

He was the one who usually bought a pile of those magazines that baffled him so much while telling Papyrus that he did it only to have a good look at the public opinion and about their reputations.

Out of boredom Papyrus had, against the human agent best recommendations, read some of them with him once while they waited on a television set.

Mostly told praises about them. Calling it the perfect relationship.

Some praised Mettaton's fashion sense to a detail he had never believed possible, comparing his attire to the ones of the other artists and occasionally some of them complimented Papyrus well maintained frame or his optimism.

One did weird comments about his shoe size...

But nothing bad.

Just slightly weird. Because the amount of knowledge they had was incredible. From how they were spotted hand holding while having a stroll to which restaurant they visited most... what kind of wine they preferred or what brand of soup they had on their trash most, the media seemed to know it all.

It made him feel a little self conscious. And a little nervous if he was honest.

But overall he had been happy that the fans were happy for them. And after a couple of times he decided it was best for him to stop reading the magazines altogether and let the human do his job and take care of keeping track of all that himself.

And so he did. The human agent whose name was Victor was incredibly efficient.

He managed his own, Papyrus' and Metatton's schedule to a point without a gap or fail. He discussed all contracts by himself, and all TV appearances too. All interviews. He sorted all Mettaton's outfits for LIVE events. He also drove them everywhere.

Most of time he even made them simple dinners when they went back home too late for anything to be open or in service. And still had time and energy to talk gently and animatedly with Papyrus while reading their mail and the magazines as they waited for Mettaton's scene to record the perfect take at the end of the day.

Usually it was during their dinners together where the agent told them all the new information he had found.

The news about the tour. The polls... and the general opinion of the public. All while listening with a smile and an attentive ear to any of Mettaton's complains.

Writing down notes for later. 

Slowly, and progressively Papyrus learned exactly what was expected of him. What words to say for each interview, to each fan and he tried to do it as perfectly as possible. He learned how to show a smile all the time he was in public even if he wasn't feeling it.

Because it was not for him, and not even for Mettaton, but for the sake of their fans. The ones looking up to them as a couple, as a goal, the ones who admired them. Victor approved his progress calling it Papyrus "Public face"

Another weird aspect of being with a celebrity was that from time to time Mettaton and his agent sat together for hours planning a specific set up for a new activity for them to being seen as a couple.

From a charity event, to invitations for a game night in some school nearby. Or their assistance to a very exclusive night club.

The sat, talking about things that Papyrus never had on consideration like the roles they had with each other on the eyes of the public and how fans viewed the relationship.

What they should do and don't.

Papyrus found very difficult to follow those conversations. And usually just let the two of them decide everything from the time of arrival, to their whole outfits and method of transport, while he focused on doing a nice meal for the three of them to share and forget a little about the pressure of being perfect for their public.

It was complex and sometimes the three of them had really hard at times. Unexpected things happened all the time. Despite how much they tried to prepare.

But in a general their relationship and all the effort they put on those "dates" had been a good thing for Mettaton's career. Both Mettaton and the agent told him so.

And that was enough. He was happy for that.

Their public image was apparently good enough most of the time. And while both of them had bitter haters, their fans outnumbered the bitter and hateful ones many, many times.

Papyrus knew from the beginning that dating a star would never, going to be easy, and there were times when he thought everything had been for nothing... a sponsorship cancelled, an audition failed... harsh critics to Mettaton new single...

Rough times.

But he sincerely had believed each time that their love was stronger. And at the end of every day... he was there for Mettaton. 

They had each other... 

Papyrus had never, ever thought about the benefits the sudden fame of being Mettaton's boyfriend granted him. He didn't wanted them. For him the only thing important was seeing Mettaton's shine... he did it all, gave his all, for love...

He sacrificed better work options. Education. Time with his brother... with his friends...

All... just for the sake of being with Mettaton every time... He was first a fan of Mettaton, and in his soul he still was... he wanted his success... 

So he wanted to be there... showing him all his support from the sidelines. Papyrus had truly believed that they could conquer anything... that their love was real... sadly... Mettaton didn't seemed to think the same.

The words he was screaming while throwing and breaking everything withing his reach, hurt worse than any actual attack.

His boyfriend was calling him_ things_... expletive things. Laughing hysterically... at his tears, telling him how stupid he looked, how gullible he had been... believing someone could love a _thing_ like him... screaming that it was over, that he couldn't bear to be near him a second more.

Mettaton told him it all had been just a lie. A farce he and Victor came up with. To impulse his career. Papyrus sobbed. The mere notion of it... broke his soul... 

The best, most important thing in his life all but crumbling to the ground.

Like a castle of cards.

He wished he could stop hearing... but the words keep pouring over him...

Mettaton explained him, how they had been using him, how he had failed to be interesting... how useless he had become now...

Everything had been just a game of make believe, where he had been playing alone all this time, lying to himself.

Pretending he had the perfect life.

Being a fool. Mettaton's fool

It all started the past month... Things between them were a little strained since the last single Mettaton did in collaboration with a famous human DJ called Purple Wolf didn't get the recognition that was expected, instead the single got a lot of critics mostly form the fans who found the song 'boring' and the general opinion was 'more of the same'.

Tonight's live event didn't even sold out...

And it seemed that Papyrus attempt at cheering his boyfriend by bringing him some echo flowers from the Underground and make them whisper loving words...

Backfired in the worst possible way.

Mettaton had came to the backstage much later than he had expected him, Papyrus didn't mind, he knew before coming here he had to attend some interviews and meet other artists from the event who usually where drunk themselves... so it was all a big mess. Every event was like that...

And he had been just very happy to see Mettaton. They kissed and his soul soared with love and tenderness. But the moment Mettaton heard the whispers and saw the flowers, his mood flipped instantly.

Breaking their embrace and pushing him away, he had stomped towards the vase asking who the hell brought those things to his backstage, and when Papyrus told him it was him, Mettaton demanded to now why he had brought such horrid plain disgusting things there, while smashing the vase on on the floor.

Their argument had started like that. Papyrus didn't believed that echo flowers were ugly or disgusting and so he told.

It has been like cutting a chord. A very tense chord... 

Mettaton had told him bitterly that those kind of things were exactly their problem. And he was tired of dealing with it... That he had explained Papyrus endless times... and he was fed up Papyrus dumb and idiotic self... 

From there almost everything that came out of Mettaton was insults... at first Papyrus was speechless... Hearing his boyfriend ramble about how he just lacked class and brains, how he didn't understood the finesse worth a celebrity.

Calling him stupid in different words, mocking his choice of gift with no end... wild weeds into his most sacred space, instead of orchids, or even vulgar roses.

But he didn't stopped there, instead Mettaton told Papyrus he was tired of pretending they were some kind of modern fairy-tale romance when they obviosly weren't...The skeleton tried to get closer to ask what was wrong, but Metatton pushed him away, screaming at Papyrus, telling him to not touching him any more, at his surprised, hurt expression the star sneered.

Telling him the words that would tear his whole world apart. 

Half laughing Mettaton called him once again an idiot. Too much of an imbecile to ever notice that it was all an act, that there was no love, and never will be.

Everything had been for his sake, for proffit...

He asked Papyrus cruelly who could love a nitwit like him. He listed every single one of the things from Papyrus that dissgusted him, he called him boring, uninteresting and ugly... 

Mettaton told him that in fact he was disgustingly ordinary as the weeds he had brought, nothing special about any of them... then laughed then maniacally and told him he just owed all his popularity to him, that he only had agreed to the absurd of their relationship because of his agent's advice.

And how it worked wonders... for a while...

Victor... The very human that had been always so friendly to him, the one that taught him so much... the one Papyrus had come to consider a friend.

His boyfriend told him how his popularity went in decline... and how Victor found the solution for it...

Dating a fan was a way to keep himself trendy and on the good side of his fans, giving them a relationship to adore and follow to cheer on.

Something inspiring... while working to keep himself fashionable, relatable and always a topic for conversation.

He then called their relationship a bad joke he was sick of... Papyrus couldn't help but feel the rim of his sockets full of tears at that. His idol, the monster he loved most than anything seriously believed they were only a joke, a pretense to keep the public happy and entertained...

Mettaton kept his silence just for a moment to recover his breath.And when he spoke again the atmosphere felt charged.

Filled with disgust. Papyrus felt nauseated... Mettaton was serious. More serious than he had ever saw him.

They were both silent for a moment... The star then told him the farce was over and that he didn't wanted to see him again.

Papyrus felt his soul break with the sound of those words, he wanted to speak, but in the end he didn't said anything at that.

Metatton didn't said anything else either.

When Papyrus heard the door of the backstage being slammed he didn't even moved from his chair or tried to follow him.

He didn't even looked up.

Silent and glimmering streams of magic keep pouring from his sockets for a long while. He didn't knew how much time passed till his sobs calmed enough for him to think.

His mind numb and pained... He couldn't even process it clearly... He didn't knew what to do.

Taking out his phone he cheked it a few times... his lock-screen was a picture of them both smiling for the camera...

It made him spill even more tears.

He didn't wanted to stay here... he though of calling someone, to tell someone to come and pick him up.

But he realized very soon that all his friends were also Mettaton's friends, all of them would know something had happen.

They will ask, and he didn't want to talk with anyone about this...

...ever.

How he wanted for someone to just help him... no questions... just a hand for him to take... Papyrus then thought of Sans. His dearest brother. How long has been since the last time he called him?

They had been so busy off lately with the tour, the programed dates, events, recording sessions and commercials that none of them had much time to spare. Even to eat.

It had been so long since he had heard Sans voice, since he spend sometime with him, that it felt almost like another life.

However he knew that no matter how much had happened between them, how far away they were his brother will come pick him up no matter the time or the circumstance if he asked him.

Surely Sans will understand if he said that he didn't wanted to talk about... right? It seemed all so selfish...Papyrus had been absent from his life for a long while...

And now the first time in forever he thought about his brother was to ask, out of nothing for this favor...

Just awful.

But... it was... kind of an emergency... and he really couldn't think of anyone else.. he needed Sans....

Papyrus searched for his contact, the tiniest smile appeared on his face at the picture of his brother making finger guns.

His pajama top read 'Nap Princess'. It had been so silly. A present from Toriel the first Gyftmas after reaching surface.

Papyrus touched the picture... painfully noticing how much he missed him... he lifted his phalange... and was about to call him but then... he stopped.

What if they found a fan along the way? What if some paparazzi saw him leaving the building without his boyfriend, so late?

People will talk, and soon it will be obvious that something happened.

The skeleton monster didn't want anyone to know about this, and he certainly didn't want to involve Sans on any of this.

His brother didn't deserved the harassment if anything happened.

No... 

Papyrus was alone in this, he couldn't call anyone without bringing them in to the scritiny... 

He was going to have to pretend everything was just alright. Nothing to see. Nothing to hear...

Everything was perfection in the mind of their fans... 

... He felt trapped.

To think just a few hours prior he was in pure bliss. Hearing the music and Mettaton's singing. His marvelous dance from the privilege spot he had next to the stage.

Cheering on with the human agent by his side. Both waving a giant flag with Mettaton's colors, with his name, absolutely sure he was the luckiest monster ever.

So certain that nothing could ever go wrong, that he was loved...

... And now he found out he had nothing.

Broken flowers still whispering praises and words of love...

And he... in a corner... alone in an empty cold space in a destroyed room. The broken reflection of the mirror couldn't hide the absolutely mess that was his face.

Papyrus can't get out like this... He didn't know what to do... or who to ask for help, there was no manager, no sign, no direction... 

He felt lost.

Clutching the picture of his brother on the phone he started crying again, wishing everything was just a nightmare.

II

At six sharp on the morning, a loud noise was heard at the door of the backstage, Papyrus opened his sockets alarmed, feeling a terrible headache incoming.

More noise.

Turning his head around to orient himself he remembered, instantly recognizing where he was, bolting awake, still terribly scared but also prepared to fight he noticed that he fell asleep on the floor, right next to the chair he had been sitting as he waited for Mettaton the night before...

Fear and shame rattled his bones... this was probably some employee, trying to vacate the building before the next event...

He didn't knew what to do, all around him where still the shattered pieces...

Even more crude, more raw in the hardness of daylight...

Someone was knocking.

Rather insistently.

Then the noise stopped altogether... "I'm coming in" Announced a soft voice Papyrus almost recognized and the door opened.

He was still frozen on the floor when a head popped inside the room. It was the human, he agent, the one that had...

"... Morning... Papyrus" Victor greeted with a pained expression on his face, refusing to look Papyrus at the face. 

The skeleton didn't greeted him back, but the human agent didn't seemed to take offense, his smile was already terribly sad as it was..

"How...?" The human started, but maybe something in Papyrus expression made him stop the 'are you?' died on his lips "...He told me that you two... kinda had an argument last night..."

Papyrus still didn't answered him. His sockets empty and the last pieces of his soul crumbling his rib cage.

"... I'm really sorry that..." The human tried again, failing "I mean..."

Victor seemed very distressed but he entered the room, closing the door behind him, then he leaned on it, looking at his shoes... still refusing to look at Papyrus' face.

Apparently trying to compose himself. With a sigh he started speaking again... "I'm really sorry Papyrus" He whispered, his tone deeply wounded.

Papyrus looked at him.

"I... mean it... I know it's not my place..." Victor said and for a moment it seemed like he was going to add something else, but instead, Papyrus saw the human going back to his role "What I'm trying to tell you is... I'm here... I came to take you work or anywhere you need to be, or want to go... I..." The human then looked him in the sockets, making a curios then cutting himself abruptly, and placed a small paper bag on the destroyed vanity next to him "I'm sorry again Papyrus. Whenever you're ready... I'll be waiting outside"

Victor closed the door softly behind him and yet Papyrus jumped at the sound, this was not alright not in the least, for him to be scared by the sound of a door being shut.

Reality hit him. Victor was here surely following Mettaton's orders... so it meant... He got up from the floor and looked at his face on the shattered mirror at his feet.

It looked far worse than he feared.

More than just the magic residue staining his cheekbones, the monster looking back from the mirror was the image of defeat, of sadness and grief. It was the face of a broken monster.

Papyrus cleaned the residual magic the best he could with a wet towel, his clothes were a disaster, stained and torn in weird places.

He didn't remembered how they torn...

Inspecting the bag Victor had left him he found inside exactly what he thought he will, the clothes were very simple.

Unassuming. And perfect.

He put them on.

Throwing the old ones into the bag and placing it on the trashcan. Nothing much left he could do now. He picked up one of the battered Echo Flower in his way to the door.

It screamed in Mettaton's voice. "...Don't want to see your stupid face ever again...!!"

He deserved that he supposed. Then the picked up the next. "It's over!!" He almost let it fall, but he didn't. He picked them all, one by one, the ones calling him nitwit, idiot, imbecile... 

With them on his arms he walked on... giving one last painful look at the room, then at the flowers... and his form in the mirror...

Papyrus threw the flowers in the trash with the clothes and left the backstage.

Once, and for all.

Victor was waiting for him outside as he promised. A pained and worried expression still deeply embedded in his expression.

One he tried to hide the moment he saw him.

Papyrus didn't know what to made of it, he just followed the human to the car, like so many times before. This time in awkward silence, but feeling too exhausted for anything else.

It was a parody of their normal routine.

Usually Victor showed up early in the morning at their apartment and read them their agendas while they ate breakfast.

Then he always drove Papyrus to work, and went back to drop off Mettaton to whatever his schedule dictated.

Victor will wait then for Mettaton and brought him lunch, all while doing his own work on the go.

Then always, after Papyrus shift the human will arrive to pick him up and drop him at the apartment for Papyrus to have a quick meal and refresh, then they both went back to wherever Metatton was working. Most days the two of them went back to Mettaton's rehearsal and just waited for him.

Papyrus had sold his car because of that. Not seeing a reason to keep two cars when they all were practically all day together.

Now he regretted that decision deeply.

The human agent was talking softly. But Papyrus wasn't really hearing what the human was telling him. He supposed it was his agenda for today... or Mettaton's agenda... He couldn't force himself to hear it. Victor was acting like nothing had happened.

As if something minor had happen... And Papyrus was still too hurt to say anything without crying again.

So he kept his silence.

Victor looked at him uncomfortably. Presumably trying to say him something. To cheer him up... 

But seemed to understand that he didn't wanted to talk at all and rushed to open Papyrus door for him.

That was new.

But Papyrus didn't complained... Once inside Victor offered him a cup of hot chocolate, and a bagel filled with cream cheese, topped with poppy seeds...

His sense of unreality increased. It all seemed like it was just another late morning in some sort of parallel universe.

Where Metatton loved him. Where everything was alright... the tears... attempted to betray him once more...

Soon enough Victor started talking again...

"I know this could seem... bad right now... but you know how he is right...?" The human told "Maybe he had said things he didn't should... but we both know that it's his nature to be a little hot-headed..."

Then he laughed, nervously. Papyrus didn't.

"I'm absolutely sure he will come back to his senses" Victor continued, nonchalantly as if he were talking about a contract he just landed, but his voice sounded weird, forced "Please don't worry about any this Papyrus... I'm sure he loves you... very much..."

There was no way that could be real, Papyrus thought... what was the agent trying to do... ? Was this an attempt to...?

"You understand what happened last night right? It's just he had been under so much pressure lately, and right now we... we need to stay by his side and support him on this... he need us now. More than ever... it's important that us... "

He said all that plainly, like he was following a script... So... the agent was here to excuse Mettaton's behavior after all. How could he had been so blind to not seeing it before?

The agent was working for Mettaton so...

It made sense.

But that didn't made the notion to hurt any less.

"... I know this is not my place..." Victor said "but... you can count on me, Papyrus... just ask me, I'm here for you... both”

To Papyrus at least that part sound a little sincere a little like the friend he had thought he had in him... as if he was tryin to convey in all his words the fact that he was on Papyrus side... that Papyrus could lean him... Victor was without doubt a great actor.

He had future in the industry. Papyrus thought bitterly... 

"So... please don't worry. This is nothing we can't sort out... I'll start by rescheduling all your volunteering and public appearances for the immediate future... if you want I can cancel all interviews for the rest week... to allow you to have some time for yourself... is this okay with you?"

Papyrus looked at the human. Deadpanned. Before nodding once. By inertia. Victor was an agent true and true. An agent _to the bone_.

He didn't even had started thinking what he will do and the human had already started what he had taught him it was 'damage control' assuring that both their images wouldn't be affected...

Taking care that their routine didn't resulted affected. That people didn't talked. That they didn't even knew there was an issue.

He wasn't sure if he was impressed or hated the fact he was prepared for something like this...

... Inhaling deeply he calmed down. Victor was just doing his job, and he couldn't hate him or blame him for that...

“Papyrus? Did you need something else to be done? Anything?”

He shook his skull to say him no. Metatton had told him the night before that Victor had been the one who suggested the whole thing... to help his career.

And that had hurt just so much. But seeing the agent right now he realized Victor wasn't the one that had betrayed him...

Victor wasn't the one who faked loving him... He was just a human doing his job... and doing it so perfectly Papyrus failed to see it was all fake... that he was being fooled and taken advangtage off...

Still the human didn't deserve to pay for how he felt, Victor was just a human incredible good at his job, and he had helped him so many times...

He had taught him so much... Even if he lied regard them being friends...

Was the human he really lying? There was no way to know it now... And it didn't changed a thing in the end...

But he was going to miss him...

The closer they came to his work, the more sure Papyrus was that he wouldn't see the human ever again.He wanted to say something, a goodbye maybe...

Papyrus left the car quickly when they arrived his chocolate and bagel still untouched in his hand. 

Then smiled sadly one last time at the human agent, for the good times. Even if he hadn't pretended to be... he had been a good friend.

At times.

Victor seemed unaware of his feelings and was telling him to call if he needed something. Anything. In any moment. Just like he did any other day. 

Papyrus looked as the car was lost on a turn.

Like he did all the other days.

III

He gave Denis his chocolate and bagel. Not wanting to even see them... much less eating them... The guard thanked him greatly.

It didn't cost him much to excuse himself from work.

He felt bad and looked terribly.

Papyrus had never took a day off before and was nervous at the whole thing. His boss fussed about greatly. Acting all worried and concerned.

Offering to call the agent to pick him up. Papyrus had to convince him that the agent was very busy and he will take a cab.

All his coworkers fret equally greatly. Asking if he was feeling ill. He smiled to all, assuring them it was okay.

But his smile slid off his face the moment they left him alone to start working, he left the building with a sigh... trying hard to not cry.

Waving happily at Dennis that had his mouth full of bagel, forcing himself to act like normal, to act like there was nothing wrong...

The initial moment had been the worst... every single thought in his mind, was telling him that maybe he was overreacting, that it had been not worse than other fights... that in the end it were only words...

All those thing Metatton had said...

It could be so easy to just call Victor, to call Metatton...

Ask the star forgiveness, for his love... beg himself to not abandon him... 

If no one had told him the truth, he surely will do anything to save their relationship... No matter how... bad it was he always found a reason... an excuse.

Another one... 

If no one had told him it was all fake, he could probably believe Victor... and realize that it was all beacuse of the pressure Mettaton was under... and happily, stupidly will continue being the idiot puppet in Mettaton's hands forever believing in a fairy tale.

Playing for his benefit. Dancing in his command... Believing it was for love.

But now... he was seeing it all clear as day.

He had been used.

And he couldn't continue allowing it. Not if he had an ounce of love for himself.

He loved Mettaton of course, truly and deeply. More than he had ever loved. It hurt and it bleed to part from him, but he had to be thankful. The one he loved... had opened his sockets to reality... He knew now...

It was so tempting... to put back the blindfold... Everything could still be the same...

With just one call...

But nothing really will ever be the same at all... No matter what Victor said, it was going to be all lies.

Maybe well-meaning ones...

But lies.

Mettaton was not sorry, he was just sending the human to do the job of convincing him, of keeping him ignorant and fooled.

He loved him so very much...

... It was clear however that Mettaton didn't.

He could of course easily go and tell the world everything Mettaton said... and be done with it... But he was not going to. To the monster he loved more than anything his public image prove to be the most important thing.

The only important thing. So he will give him that. As some sort of goodbye.

Papyrus closed his sockets, feeling all the pain flood him... And decided it had to be done.

Now.

He will walk to their apartment one last time. He will pick up the most important things he had there. And then he will leave.

No fuss, no need for anyone to find out. He won't cause a scene or a scandal.

It will be his last love gesture.

IV

Packing just the essentials, documents and personal identifications he left their... _no, not 'theirs'_ Mettaton's apartment as quickly as possible...

Leaving behind all he had believed he was. All the fancy clothes, the presents... In an impulse he took out his key... the one Mettaton had gifted him on his birthday almosta year ago... and left it on the mailbox.

No chances, no excuses, no need for them to see each other again. Just like Metatton had asked. For never to see him again...

Carrying a discreet bag with his possesions he started to walk down.

No clear destination in mind. Just walking aimlessly for hours, far and far away from all the life he had...

From Mettaton, and from Victor, from the voice in his mind telling him he was being selfish by just leaving like that...

A voice telling him to ask them for forgiveness...

The same voice that told him he was horrible... the voice that made him felt guilty because today he was expected to volunteer at the soup kitchen... he was expected at Mettaton rehearsal... he was expected at work... and he had left his coworkers to handle it... themselves...

Once his legs started to shake by exhaustion, he sat on a bench nearby a park and looked at the trees...

A soft breeze ran across his face. It was an incredibly nice day, feep blue sky and a few clouds scattered around...

Simply perfect.

This time when he pulled out his phone... He called Sans without doubting, without thinking that much...

He wanted to hear his voice...

There was the ringtone... one ring and then two... His brother picked up at three.

Papyrus was already crying even before Sans could say anything.

His soul breaking once again ...

V

It had been terrible. To have his brother in the phone, progressively more and more worried. Panicking. Over his stupid emotional breakdown...

Sans has asked him repeatedly where he was...

If he was hurt... Mad with worry... most certainly crying too... 

But still no words came out of his teeth.

Just sobs. Each one more pathetic than the last.

His brother's calming words keep repeating themselves over the phone... assuring him everything will be okay... 

That Sans was on his way to him... His low tone eventually calmed him enough...

Just as when he was a kid... and Sans hummed a lullaby... to stop his cries.

The ancient charm still worked... ans his ugly sobs became small then stopped altogether... His brother was there, with him...

For him... 

He felt better when he hung up. He had managed enough voice to tell his brother where he was.

Sans was coming to his rescue... once again.

As expected his brother didn't asked him anything else, just if he was safe. Papyrus felt another pang over his soul. Sans was so good.

Even when he had been such an idiot...

VI

The next few days were a complete chaos. Utter and completely craziness. Sans arrived to pick him up forty five minutes after their call and ran directly to him...

Hugging him with all his strength... with so such concern... such relief as Papyrus melted in to the hug, he felt so much love in his brother's soul it made him cry again.

The park was still empty an hour later when they finally decided was best to leave, the only witness a hungry pigeon Papyrus had been feeding with crumbs... as he spoke...

Papyrus turned off his phone the moment they arrived at home. It was the same house. The same pictures on the wall. Even the same battered green couch in the living room. 

Sans took his hand, guiding him to his old room. Everything was exactly the same way he had left it...

Feelings that had been buried for long came back in all their strength.

Nostalgia, Affection... He had come home.

Sans joked about his own culinary arts, and soon he was discovering the astonishing collection of mutant pies that had invaded the fridge, each worse than the one before.

Horrified he had started making spaghetti. Almost on autopilot... Then sat with him at the table... It was the first time he had made spaghetti since... Papyrus shook his skull... He had made this amazing dinner for Sans... and Sans alone.

They ate together in a comfortable silence... and Papyrus realized it was the first thing he had in almost a day... 

VII

From that moment on he went back to living with his brother. Decided to not look back. Sans of course received him with open arms.

It was simply perfect, just like in the old times they joked, they cooked, they saw movies together...

Sans waited until he felt brave enough to tell him that his relationship with Mettaton was over.

His brother of course had only kind words for him. Always so kind and understanding...

Once his almost murderous rage for Mettaton was over of course. He didn't even told him about all the things Mettaton told him...

Just told Sans Mettaton broke with him...

And yet his brother acted... like he really wanted to fight the star... Papyrus didn't wanted that... he could not allow his brother to go there...

Still he was so very thankful for his kindness and love.

Both of wich Sans gave to him so freely.

Without his support the next days after... could had been much worse.

Sans was much more courageous than Papyrus could believe possibly. And that was proven in the flesh Sans didn't had the very first day...

It all of course had started with Victor. The human had not found him at his work at the end of the shift or at the apartment, so naturally he had called Papyrus at his Cellphone, then went searching him.

Filling a report for missing persons on the go. His first stop had been Sans, of course. His brother denied seeing him.

Sans told him how the human had looked really distressed and how he told Sans something about how he had reported Papyrus as missing very soon.

In the end Papyrus called him. The human had sounded so relieved to heard his voice, Papyrus felt really guilty. Once again... feeling it was fault.

But Sans had took his hand fiercely on his in that moment. Silently encouraging him. It was time to make things clear. Papyrus found his strength and his voice on that hold.

He told Victor that he was okay. But that he was not going to return at Mettaton's apartment anytime soon. Of course the agent fretted and asked him why, trying desperately to convince him that Mettaton was very worried for him.

Papyrus told him it was personal decision the two of them did.

It was not true. Not true at all, really. This was a decision Mettaton took on his own... But still... last minute Papyrus found the words to thank him. Not exactly for running around the city looking for him.

But for everything before that. Thanking him for all the small thing the circumstances made them share some time together.

Except for fooling him into believing Mettaton had really loved him... Then Papyrus said goodbye.

Victor had said it back with a voice Papyrus had never heard before.

Full of sorrow... and regret. Maybe was regret, or remorse... 

After that everything went down things were even worse... His brother had to endure the harass of the media that seemed to camp outside their home for days and nights on end.

Sans was the one who handled Victor at that point. The agent keep coming, the only thing he told Sans it was he wanted to talk with Papyrus one last time. 

His brother endured the constant calls of fans that keep insulting him, and read the constant pile of hate mail he received.

It seemed that Mettaton was not okay either.

Victor told Sans he was receiving a lot of harassment too. But his brother refused to show the star or the agent any sympathy.

Red didn't show any either. Red was... his brother friend. A friend he didn't knew of, but who naturally got caught in the mess too. Not that he seemed to mind much...

Still the taller felt guilty... this was all his fault... Papyrus had meet the other skeleton for the first time the next day after his arrival.

And liked him instantly.

He had endured his fair share of journalist trying to get his opinion in the matter, or their bribes to take a picture of him, just to get inside the house. 

Papyrus realized how much of his brother's life he missed, as he saw the two of them interacting with each other, it was very clear that they two of them were close.

But for him Red was a complete stranger.

A nice one, with zero filters and a filthy mouth, but a stranger in the end...

He coulnd't help but see how much of life in general he missed. He didn't even knew where his brother meet Red or what kind of relationship they truly had, he suspected it was more close than the two of them let on. But he couldn't say for sure. 

None of them said anything on the matter either.

But something, something was there... Red came to the house very often after all, mostly at nights, and just chilled with his brother.

Sometimes, he brought some food. Other days he came drunk and sleep on the couch.

Papyrus didn't asked, he let them have their secrets. If the two of them were a couple... maybe the two of them were trying to avoid showing it, due to his specific circumstances. He hoped that was not the case. 

He hoped they weren't playing it down for his sake... it hurt, of course it hurt... it was still so recent...

But he hated even more being a burden, being in the middle, disturbing their time.

And the two of them were... kind of cute together in his opinion. They could made a cute couple. 

The thing Papyrus liked the most about Red however was the skeleton wasn't a fan. He didn't even knew how Mettaton was.

So he didn't have 'a side' in all this and treated him like any other normal monster.

It felt so liberating... even if the monster also often joked horribly with him, and had no shame inviting himself to the dinner Papyrus just made to his brother.

Not that he minded making food for three. He had started seeing Red as an integral part of the household. He fitted well, as if he had always been there... it was good to see his brother had not been alone...

Red's humor was often so caustic, so corrosive and so crude, that Papyrus found himself horrified when he laughed against his will at his terrible jokes. 

The skeleton didn't had much sense of boundaries either, point he proven enough by tackling him to the ground with a tickle attack just for the hell of it.

At random.

With absolutely no motivators.

Instigated and sometimes followed by Sans himself. The two against him for the sake of making him laugh... it was not fair.

But Papyrus was so very grateful for them both.

It was very obvious they were trying very hard to cheer him up.

He was sure the two of them were doing their bests to keep him in good spirits. And they succeeded very often.

Making him feel like a monster again, like his old more carefree self. Running around them to keep their mess on check, screaming at their unruly, frankly barbaric behavior, shastising them for their horrid puns at dinner time and making food for them.

The two of them keep him so busy he often forgot why he had came to live with them in the first place.

It felt like he was finally living again.

Without checking every single gesture, all his poses, even his tone, it was marvelous to live again...

No script to follow... all of it was natural...

However, he could not know that soon enough this brief moment of peace of content would disappear ...

...Perhaps forever.


	2. Diagnosis

I

Papyrus looked at his reflection on the mirror of their bathroom, feeling dizzy, his trembling hands grabbed the sink quick and hard trying to stop him from falling, leaning over, closer to his own image he searched anxiously for any telltale signs of the secret he had been keeping on his lights… on the curve of his permanent smile.

But there was nothing there.

Nothing out of place… Nobody will ever know… Nobody had to... Everything looked normal. Everything was just fine…

_As it should be_. He thought, bitterly and resigned lowered his skull.

The vision there however elicited a violent reaction in him. Everything went blurry in an instant... The whole room spun around, and he remembered why he had done that in the first place...

All the hate he felt towards himself... toward the monster he had been for so long... Opening the tap quickly, he washed away everything with an expression of disgust... and guilt.

The words Mettaton told about him echoed in his mind, over and over, convincing him of their harsh truths... the feeling created ripples that felt like stabbing on his sternum... on his core.

His soul... had took the worst part... it had indeed suffered the toll of all this.

Placing a hand over he summoned the small, brilliant organ that lit the dark room with the intensity of its warm orange shine.

His very nature. Exposed for the world to see. Bravery...

Still holding up...

His hands moved instinctively towards it, encasing it on gloved hands... protecting it. Searching for a warmth that was not entirely there... his trust so violently and recently smashed... He wanted to believe his soul was resilient, stronger than most.

That one marvelous day he will feel complete once more. Comfortable on his own bones... what a great day that one will be. For his soul to heal... for his smile not be a fixed gesture. His demeanor not a front to hide the pain inside.

But still within the wish was the uncertainty... the fear of never recovering, the fear that this was his new self and the past one had been lost forever...

The sound of the doorbell was so entirely unexpected, it made him jump almost a foot. Terrified he readied himself to battle.

A barrier of bones materialized right in front of him before he had the time to rationalize it was just the door.

His worry however shot up disproportionately then... who could possibly be? Sans had left the house to go work already and he was expected to come back till much later... at night... had something happened? Had he came back? He would not call the door, this was his house so naturally he had his own set of keys and never once in all their years got locked outside.

It seemed very unlikely for his brother to forget his keys precisely today… or lost them... maybe Red then...? It was the only other one monster who knew he was here... yes, most likely Red then... right? Surely it was him, or Sans who chose to scare him by losing his keys precisely today and...

His brother would not be this cruel to him... Sans knew he was still... recovering from all the things that happened on the past weeks...

Rhere was no reason for any of them to be back just yet... but the alternative was much worse...

Maybe there was an explanation... he was not sure if Sans had gave Red a set of keys...

The doorbell rang again.

Red… it had to be Red... that for some reason... had decided to visit just now and unknowingly scare him out of him mind. He was probably just hungry and wanted to gobble up his delicious spaghetti... it had to be that...

How many times had fed those gluttons out of hours...? Yes, countless times... but... now that he thought about… how Red usually got inside the house? He had never, not even once in the time he had lived here opened the door for Red. He tried to recall a time where the door had to be opened for him, but in vain.

Usually Sans and Red were already together when he saw them... and his brother insisted to be the one dealing with the unwanted guests that camped on their yard for weeks so he never went near the door...

It had been the press, demanding answers. Papyrus however never did an interview. Neither did his brother or Red, who mocked the journalist by doing grotesque faces to their cameras every time they got asked... acting like idiots and telling gross jokes which resulted in free publicity for Sans comedy channel on the Internet, that got him hundreds of visits since then and gained him fans all over the city.

Papyrus sometimes worried... because he didn't wanted his brother to be exposed to the cruel and hungry machine that could be the public opinion...

Heartless, ruthless, demanding to be entertained... no matter to which cost... His brother however was stronger than him. Much stronger than one could believe... He could probably handle it just fine.

That was in fact one of the things he loved about Sans more... that within him there was much more to him that the obvious...

His brother was powerful despite his apparent frailty...

Another rang on the doorbell interrupted his thoughts, sending him close to a panic attack… He breathed quickly… for no reason.

Scared of who could be in the other side, calling...

The person or monster on the other side seemed pretty sure that there was someone there...

Papyrus didn't wanted to see any other journalist... he didn't wanted cameras pointing to his face, microphones fighting to get close to him... people shouting questions...

It couldn’t possibly be a just a journalist trying their luck... The press had left their house _weeks_ ago… so...

He didn't wanted to see Victor again... he... didn't though he could handle seeing Mettaton again...

The doorbell rang again…

More and more insistently as if knowing of Papyrus increased nervousness and panic. 

He didn’t wanted to attend… he didn’t even wanted to leave the bathroom… Frozen in place he felt an acidic taste rising up on his insides...

Kneeling on the floor Papyrus curled up in a ball, covering his ear-holes, while trembling whole… the sound keep insisting, but he didn't had to attend the door. If he kept quiet the visitor will have to leave... eventually.

Sans... Sans will surely forgive him... if it was him...

Maybe... he could tell his brother he was taking a nap?

Not that the bathroom was very convincing place... but as long as he didn't saw him... lately Papyrus had to take more naps than ever...

Cleaning the house and cooking even for two gluttons only lasted for so long... and then there was the silence... the emptiness of the house...

He didn't went on the Internet either anymore... so many people and monsters were still there talking about his breakup with Mettaton...

Still judging him so harshly... even when they didn't knew all the truth... 

Not even Sans knew all the truth...

Going outside was out of the question.

His brother was mostly there with him. All Sans free time was spent in the house to make him company, with Red...which made him guilty enough...

But some hours... were just hard. Some hours... felt so lonely... as if he was the last monster in the wide whole world... and that... was so scary...

So he took naps...

And that way the time passed quickly enough... for him to bear...

However his brother might get scared if he found him like this... might thought that something happened...

And he couldn't let that happen. Sans couldn't know about the secret he was keeping...

If Sans knew everything about him... all the things he had done wrong... would he be angry?

No... not Sans, surely... Sans loved him. <strike>"✌︎❒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎♏︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎?"</strike>

_Yes he was... !_ His mind shouted pained, disgusted and offended at the incoherent buzz he heard within his own mind. 

He was never going to doubt of Sans love. His brother had never let him down.

If his brother thought there was something wrong... he would have break down the door by now... he was such a strong monster... when needed to be...

Everyone looked at him... and didn't understood anything about him...

Sans was... 

The only one person he could trust... <strike> "✌︎nd ye❄︎ here you ✌︎re... keeping him secre❄︎s..."</strike>

It was not like that...! It was not as if he wanted them from Sans... he just didn't wanted to worry him...

He felt ashamed... he felt... bad... doing it...

But it was his only relief... his only escape when everything, the silence, the loneliness... the guilt... felt like too much...

It was wrong doing it...

Stars that noise was maddening! Why it sounded so... weird...? So... like the distorted stripes of color on the TV...?

Distorted colors... and slow... music...?

Feeling progressively worse, Papyrus tried to breathe, to calm himself down... but he couldn't, and dark circles started dancing weirdly over the tiles...

Increasing and then decreasing... They were very interesting... But there was no time to look at them...!

He reminded himself before one circle grow more than the rest...

Jumped over... and devoured him...

II

Toriel shut the door behind her delicately, with utmost care, to not wake her child. Once safe her paw moved automatically towards her mouth when she heard the sound again in the room, in a desperate attempt to keep herself from screaming.

It couldn't be... It couldn't... Still trembling she leaned on the wall, to keep herself from falling, refusing to take another step, absolutely sure she was hallucinating all this.

There was no way... no chance of what she saw was real...

Frisk had always been a special child. Her child. Full of determined kindness. Always going out their way to do what was right... and good, to help those in need...

Her child had everything... bravery and independence at the same time, also integrity to use that force for good of themselves and others, patient and persevering, a kid with a deep sense of justice, of what was right and wrong.

In short, perfect.

She didn't had to reprimand them once on anything so far...

Frisk often reminded her of her two own children. Asriel and Chara... Her Asriel was the heart, the soul. Her Chara the reason. The mind. So close to each other since the beginning that sometimes... the two of them were like twins.

Not only the two dressed exactly the same...

There was way more than that... they acted like one monster, or person... one entity, one soul for two different bodies.

Kindred spirits that complemented each other so perfectly, and in ways that made her feel astonished... and a little silly jealous at the time... She always wanted to be the number one as their mother.

But they seemed to have choose one another...

Even a dull-head like Asgore would notice their strong connection from time to time, and marvel at it.

The two of them really had their own private world were no one but them was allowed... 

And they both often wandered in it... just the two of them... and their imaginations... creating worlds that fit on a garden full of leaves or in the pieces of ruins they selected to play that day...

She often wondered if their souls were still together... in the afterlife... watching all over them... and in her worst hours... she had prayed for them to come and collect her old bones... to free her dust, as an act of mercy...

It had been a day like that one... a worst day in between the bad ones when she first heard the voice of Sans, telling absurd jokes on the other side of the doors...

Back in the ruins...

She couldn't help but answer him, and laugh at the answer, his jokes so bad they were good.

Toriel laughed... and laughed... Sans had been her godsend... her miracle.

A shred of light within a very dark place, a friend, in the worst and the happiest, that silly old bones had been always there, making her laugh, giving light to her days as the restless guardian of crumbling, abandoned ruins...

He didn't knew of course... but to this day she still believed Asriel and Chara had sent him. A friend... Just when she asked them for the grim reaper... for everything to end...

She had discovered her mission not much after, meeting Frisk was eyeopening and she wanted for the first time in a long while to help them, she as former queen and not just the guardian of the ruins wanted that senseless killing of Asgore to end, she had wanted to do something, she had wanted for the child to live... even just them... so she left and went to meet her ex-husband...

And everything end up well... with Frisk help her people regained their freedom... All of them, even Asgore.

Toriel smiled, surely they were smiling too... her kids... Asriel and Chara.

It was their dream after all... for monsters and humans to live in peace. For monster-kind to be free. They surely had continued looking after them.

Even after all what happened...

When everyone choosed their own path she approached Frisk... feeling it on her soul. They needed her a mother... and she... she had always needed her children... all the other kids she meet and couldn't save, the ones that were selfishly sacrificed...

She will never forgive that... Not as long as she lived.

Being with Frisk had been the start of a new life on surface. Everything was new... and her kid was always curious and an eager learner. That shy, cute smile always made her soul feel lighter... like the two of them still had a future, a hope.

Their own family. A found one. Made of a few broken pieces, and yet no different, no less worthy than any other.

As it was one made from love and fate, she loved Frisk so dearly... and could easily said Frisk felt the same. She promised to take care of this little one as long as they needed.

She will be the mother that little kid needed so much... but it seemed that her sins... finally have caught her up... 

It seemed that in the end her love as mother was truly cursed after all. 

As the maniac laugh on the other side of the wall continued... she couldn't stop herself from asking _why now? why here? why Frisk...? _

_What had her kid done wrong...? Why was Frisk the one being punished...? _

The door next to creaked...

And Toriel looked up, still chocking a sob...

III

Papyrus woke up abruptly that very moment, as suddenly as he fell unconscious... not realizing why, how or when he could have fallen asleep, he remembered vaguely having a weird dream... it was about someone... a face... or a mask perhaps... someone he didn't knew...

But recognized... wasn't that weird? He remembered... that there was music too.

A nostalgic tune... going slow.

It felt like a long lost memory... of his childhood maybe... or even before that... one of the few he had... Papyrus shook his skull.

No.

It didn't mattered now. The only memory he needed from his days in stripes was the one of his brother gifting him a bright red and precious scarf. Surely all this was just a delirium of his.

A result of the sheer panic that caused him the unexpected visit... and his own... sin... 

Silly things like a weird dream of colors, voices and masks... weren't appropriately at all. Not for The Great Papyrus, anyway.

He never had nightmares, not even once, so he wasn't going to start having them now. He refused. His body rattled then with a shudder, weakened by the cold of the floor and the awkward posture he had slept in.

It was time to get up and be a functionally skeleton once again. Time to pick up himself... and made sure Sans never found out...

Stretching he popped all his bones in place feeling better... and finally realizing the house was mercifully silent once again...

But still Papyrus didn't felt exactly safe yet.

Creating a large bone construction he left the bathroom walking down the stairs with hesitant, shaky steps, moving around the living room and then looked out the peephole of the front door.

Empty.

Papyrus let out a breath he didn't realized he was holding. He was alone. Berating himself for being so idiotic he still looked around every corner, opened every door.

Including the one of his brother's bedroom.

But nothing was out of place.

Everything seemed okay.

Collapsing on the couch Papyrus let out a strangled laugh, not really sure why, if for the relief or something else entirely.

Maybe nerves...

Then looked at the ceiling... It was then when he realized that the lights were on... when he had left them off, he was absolutely sure... a loud crash, startled him, it had sounded like crystal breaking... 

And that made him going on to full alert mode again, his magic acted up creating once again a bone construction that he held tightly on his left hand and sprung to action as soon as he could.

Running upstairs he checked out Sans room first, thinking that maybe something had happened with his brother's experiments, he had checked the entire house not long ago... he hoped something obvious but there was nothing there no source of noise.

The room was quiet.

He then ran over to his room, expecting an intruder to be there, but only to find it in perfect status. His figurines perfectly aligned on the table, his books as neatly as ever, his bed made... Everything was the same as always. Confused he entered the room. Maybe the intruder had hid it his closet or under the bed.

But as soon as he crossed the threshold to check a loud bang echoed downstairs. It was the front door, being slammed shut, he knew that sound... The noise made him irrationally angry. He was done.

Whoever it was... it was playing with him.

And he was not going to allow it. Not in his own home.

Stomping down the stairs he ran over the door and opened it on a sudden angry movement ready to shout only to find it empty again... and dark.

It was incredibly night already... the street lamps were on.

Had it been really so long...?

There was no one there. Just silence and the distant lights of the homes far up the hill of Mount Ebbot.

A peaceful night.

Still not convinced, sure that something was _off_ Papyrus left the house for the first time in a long while...

Cautious... he was still trying to find an intruders... or more than one...

Anyone and anything was suspicious in his lights... person or a monster the same...

Naturally he didn't noticed the small box in between his feet, half buried in the snow until it was too late, he stumbled losing his balance and falling hard on his face.

Cursing Papyrus regained his feet and got up, finally noticing the now slightly mangled cardboard box. 

What could it possibly be?

A lost item? He wasn't expecting anything... Had maybe Sans ordered something?

Reluctantly he bent down and took the box with suspicion, it was just a regular box... black scotch tape sealed the top...

Puzzled by all the weird events he turned around walking towards the house to let the box inside and send his brother a message to ask about it...

Discovering that now all the lights in the house were off... all except for one.

The one in his room.

IV

It had been just an instant. At first. Like catching a glimpse of the unknown. Meeting a cold blood creature only filled with hatred and darkness...

One that looked at her from Frisk chair in the table.

Something that was not entirely human, and decidedly not monster at all.

A creature who stared with two empty dark sockets where once Frisk eyes were.

It had been terrifying. But fleeting. As soon as it started it ended. The moment after everything was fine.

Her child smiled at her. Their eyes were warm and soft almost closed. Pleasant and innocent.

Frisk was chatting about all the new human kids that where now friends with their monster friends... Her child had started attending the school lately, and they were flourishing...

Creating a bridge between the two races... Toriel got caught in the conversation... and forgot about the weird incident very soon.

The next one was even more confusing than the first. It happened at bath time.

Her kid really liked long baths where they played with any toy they had at hand. Dolls, cars and plastic animals all the same. 

Inventive and witty, her kid was a treasure to her.

Thinking about the preparations for dinner she entered the bathroom, a little distracted, with a big smile and a fluffy towel on her paws telling Frisk it was time to get out.

When her gaze fell on the tub she froze, horrified.

Blood. There was blood on the water... Frisk whole body was covered in marks... Fresh bruises and scars.

So many of them covered the small body...

Horrifying as it was... the worst part of it all was that... she recognized each one. Memories of long, long ago flooded her mind.

Old as time. But still fresh, still painful.

Her child stared at her, worried and a little scared, because it was Frisk and not Chara the one looking at her...

But the marks... the wounds... were not Frisk's...

Toriel couldn't utter a word... her mind too confused, too horrified, refusing what she was seeing... 

Chara's scars... littering Frisk body... the ones Chara blamed on the fall... ashamed of the truth... Toriel fell onto her knees, her body not supporting her any longer.

She heard vaguely Frisk screaming, the splash of water... 

And red... fresh blood slipping down their skin... “_Are you okay Mommy?” _Chara, and Asriel... tried to touch her with their mangled, bleeding forms... she retreated, horrified, scaring her child even further.

Frisk didn't seemed to understand. Toriel didn't meant to scare them, but it seemed she had done it anyway because when she tried to reach out her paw to pull her Chara, her Asriel... her Frisk on a tight embrace, to protect them, to relieve their pain...

It fell mid air...

They were not there anymore... 

Instead Frisk looked at her from afar with a wounded expression on their eyes... they were crying... despite not doing anything wrong they apologized, over and over.

The awful marks on their small body became permanent after that... Toriel knew what were from.

Abuse.

Once a very long time ago her own mother told her horrible stories about how humans were such beasts that they hit their own little ones... Sometimes to the point of killing them...

Toriel had cried for the innocent ones falling under the malice of the ones that should have protected them.

And cried even more hard when she saw them on the body of her Chara for the first time... Rage filled her soul... until Chara's small hand fell upon her paw with a sad smile... and crystal tears that broke her.

“It's okay” They told.

Chara deserved all she could do for them... and so they did... their small family grew one more... Until tragedy hit them on the worst way...

Grief, killed all hope... Grief demanded revenge... But for her... everything was over... 

And now... the shadow of that old curse... was looking at her in the eye...

She had tried to surprise her little kid by leaving a piece of their favorite pie just like in the old times...

And saw it...

The same_ thing _that cursed Chara was inside Frisk room...

Laughing horribly... with eyes that were black and empty wells of coldness... Staring with a crooked red smile that twisted their whole face...

She should have know better... than to believe she had a chance at being happy... She should have know her love was cursed...

That she was being punished... for every single soul she didn't saved... for every pain she ignored...

It was a curse.

Her curse...

V

Papyrus ran inside the house the cardboard box under his arm. Determined to catch whoever was mocking him, it had to be a monster, no human could move that way without being heard or seen.

But who? And... why?

It was someone who resented him maybe? A fan of his ex-boyfriend? Hundreds of theories went through his mind in the moments it took him to climb the stairs in the direction of his room...

Finding his door wide open... for a moment... he could only red... hundreds of crimson rose petals scattered all around his room...

A single rose was placed in the middle of his bed...

VI

Sans left eye flared on the freezing air of the night. Wisps of cyan floated away with the breeze.

It was over.

Done...

Finally...

The remaining bone constructions vanished mid-air...

At his feet a mangled figure of what was once alive. Sans hands went to the pockets of his hoodie as he searched for a ketchup package.

Tearing it away as soon as he found it.

Devouring the content, regaining the decimals lost... that one had been close.

Almost too close.

He held his humerus right where the blow almost hit him... Sans was the easiest monster to beat. One hit and he was done.

But he was not afraid... he will do whatever needed... for Papyrus to be happy... For his brother he will do anything.

To protect him... no cost was too high...

VII

Papyrus didn't knew what to do... He had searched the whole house for any intruder. But he found no one. How could that be?

There was no trace of magic either...

It made absolutely no sense... 

After a while of pacing around the living room Papyrus left the house again, walking down the street he started looking again, for anyone that looked weird...

Or guilty.

However... he started noticing people and monsters all the same gave him weird looks, maybe because he was running, with a cardboard box under his arms.

Maybe... because they recognized him...

It was no good at all to his image... for people looking at him running like a possesed, but for once he didn't cared...

He wanted to find the intruder and tell him a piece of his mind, he wanted to shove the box into their hands and tell them to never, never bother him or his family again... he will make clear...

That he had enough... He will not receive another piece of hate mail...

He was not going to accept the words people spat... when he had done nothing wrong...

But he found no one.

Just people going about their lives.

He stopped as he heard the name of his ex whispered behind back.

People were talking with their hands over their mouths... looking at him...

As if he was some sort of freak... some kind of lunatic...

He wasn't supposed to be outside the house like this... Giving people reasons to talk about him.

Giving them reason to mock him for, to judge him...

Trying to avoid people's gazes he turned around, wanting to be home... wanting to be safe...

A quiet sweet voice called him from the left. "...Um... Hello... Could you..." The stranger started.

Papyrus turned around to excuse himself and run back home, only to find a small skeleton monster dressed all in blue.

"SANS?!” Papyrus asked incredulously, noticing almost immediately his error.

The small skeleton monster that was obviously not Sans jumped a little at his screaming. He tried to apologize, very aware of all the people looking at them.

People gathering... and staring. 

They didn't even tried to hide their gossiping anymore.

"Ah... emh... sorry... my name is Blueberry, I'm called Blue, for short" The stranger told to him stretching out a hand with a beautiful, happy smile.

Papyrus shook it, still baffled. "I'm s-..."

"No, no... It was my fault, calling you so suddenly" The small skeleton told, apparently aware of his predicament "Nice to meet you..." The question implicit...

"PAPYRUS..." He rushed to answer. Biting down an automatic "Nyeh!", he was nervous but he didn't wanted it to show.

"It's a beautiful name" Blue told him.

"WELL THANK YOU! I LIKE YOURS TOO!" Papyrus told and Blue giggled.

He liked that sound... he liked it very, very much... something in that laugh made Papyrus felt lighter...

That laugh he was hearing for the first time in his life reminded him of all what he was missing while being locked in his home, afraid to even answer the door.

Suddenly the nervousness vanished. All those staring and gossiping people didn't mattered in the least.

He was not Mettaton's boyfriend anymore.

People might still recognize him... people might think they know him...

But he didn't had to be careful of every step anymore, doing eveything with the audience, the fans on his mind...

He was just Papyrus... a common monster, and he was free to do as he pleased!

"I'm … really sorry to bother you with this but... I'm new to town... could you please help me find this place?" Blueberry asked, pinpointing a spot in a paper map he was holding to Papyrus face... 

Still with that incredible cute smile, and big round baby blue eye lights shinning on his sockets.

Being the kind of monster he was he couldn't say no.

VIII

Papyrus discovered in his walk with Blue that the small skeleton monster had come from the big city, transferred here recently for work reasons... Papyrus asked Blue about the Capital as much as he could. His brother Sans had been there often... but he didn't had the chance... 

Blue seemed happy to share with him and answered everything Papyrus wanted to know the best he could.

They both walked around talking animatedly, Papyrus guided him around the town square, talking almost non stop, while pointing at the best stores and business, telling Blue where to buy awesome clothes, nice-cream, groceries... all while ignoring the malicious stares.

Blue didn't seem to mind them either. Which he was grateful for... His new friend didn't seemed to recognize him, or to be a fan of his ex-boyfriend...

It was so nice to talk with someone who didn't knew who he was... who was not aware of all the bad thing happening his life...

Soon the two of them where talking like they had known each other all the time. 

It was so easy talking to Blue... so liberating...

Papyrus had left in such a rush he didn't had any coat and was certainly feeling the chill... a little embarrassed he accepted the hot cocoa Blue bought for him at the store...

Sitting next to each other to drink it, the keep talking, both had discovered they were interested in the Royal Guard and started exchanging opinions on it...

Papyrus had placed the box on the table and Blue seemed to take interest in it, asking what it was. 

"A present for someone?" He asked innocently pointing at the box.

For a moment Papyrus didn't knew what exactly to say, he... didn't wanted to tell Blue an unknown monster had left it on the door of his house... 

He didn't want to tell him all the weird things that had motivated him to go outside his home for the first time in months...

"NO... IT'S NOT... A PRESENT" Papyrus told, sadness evident in his voice...

"Oh, I'm sorry... " Blue said 

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS... SOMEONE LEFT IT AT MY DOOR..."

Blue looked at him with big round lights... the silence between them stretching...

"IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING MY BROTHER ORDERED" Papyrus added... 

"Do you have a brother?" Blue asked. 

"YES WE LIVE TOGETHER..."

"That's so nice, you're very lucky!" Blue chirped, smiling widely and slurping his cocoa a little.

Papyrus just smiled back... he had wanted to ask about Blue's family... but something in the small skeleton's words told him not to...

After all he didn't had the heart to tell him that the box was probably hate mail... left behind by Mettaton's fans...

Everybody had things they didn't wanted to talk about... even less with strangers...

Still, it had been so nice to meet him that he refused to part in this depressive note. 

Finishing their drinks they started walking again... this time leaving the town square behind... In direction Papyrus home...

That's when he realized that he had still not asked Blue were he lived... or if he wanted Papyrus to accompany him to there...

Blue keep walking to his side in contemplative silence.

It was when he saw the lights of his home in the distance that he realized... his brother should have come back from work...

"OH STARS!" He shouted alarming Blue.

"Is something wrong?"

"NO... NOT WRONG BUT..." To made things even worse he heard in the distance the voices of Sans and Red, calling for him.

"Your brother?"

S_hoot! _"SORRY BLUE I HAD TO GO..."

"Oh... I understand... sorry for taking up your time"

"NO, PLEASE DON'T WORRY... IT WAS MY FAULT I DIDN'T REALIZED IT WAS THIS LATE. THANK YOU FOR TODAY NEW FRIEND! SEE YOU AROUND!" Papyrus yelled at Blue, waving at him and then rushing to reach his brother and Red who surely where worried sick.

Blue waved back enthusiastically for a moment then lowered his hand. "He called me friend..." the small skeleton giggled, his mood improved. "So lucky finding you right here..." He murmured cradling a glowing crystal on his palm against his chest...

"Good night Papyrus... I hope you sleep well" He told smiling and sighed going back to town, there was a few things he needed to take care off.

IX

The lanky, sharply dressed skeleton monster looked outside the immaculate window of the office. His long arms hold each other behind his back. Breathing deeply he allowed himself a moment.

At his back a monstrous mahogany desk presided the room.

It had been easier than he thought, and still this was almost literal hell. 

He had just took control over the whole corporate. Any moment the directors will realize there was nothing left to do...

But bow to his will.

As usual, he felt nothing about it... No sense of accomplishment, no joy... Just the same old men and monsters, sweating buckets, laughing nervously, eager to please him, disgusting ass-kissers, trying to save their old skins, their lifestyles...

Pathetic...

He didn't wanted big announcements, or any of that disgusting fanfare.

Just a quiet but firm change of power... a shift in how the things were done... He wanted control over everything. Every single thing happening in this place... was going to need his approval. 

He was planning to rule this place with an iron fist.

Raising his gaze he looked at the small but oddly comforting lights beneath his polished shoes. Down there... somewhere... 

He had finally reached this place, and he had all the power now.

This was just the first step, the hardest one. The one that took most of his time... from here...

Everything was his for the taking...

X

Sans was... understandably angry. But mostly relieved of finding out Papyrus was okay. His lights... his smile told him so...

A pang of guilt and sorrow stabbed Papyrus soul...

If only his brother knew... how bad he really was... hugging his brother tightly Papyrus hoped Sans never discover it... Maybe Sans had guessed more than he let out, because his hug lingered more than usual... 

Many conflicted emotions swirled on his soul... relief... warmth, love and gratitude were the strongest...

It was comforting... He couldn't help but clutch hardly the plush fabric of Sans sweatshirt...afraid to being abandoned, afraid to being hated... afraid to disappoint him...

When out of the blue Red jumped into their cuddle, and applied a thoughtful noogie to his skull he didn't had the time to react. 

"OUCH! RED, DON'T NOOGIE THE SKELETON!" He cried out for the angry stout skeleton's mercy.

In vain.

"don't _**ever**_ do that again _bucko_, do you heard me?!" Red threatened him, applying more pressure

"... if you really must leave... for any reason... at least leave a note first... or call... just... tell us about it, okay paps?"

"I'M REALLY SORRY!" He cried.

"ya better fucking be! you scared the shit out of us!" Red shouted back, making feel even more guilty.

His brother shoot a look that spoke miles at Red but the skeleton only shrugged.

"SORRY, RED... SORRY BROTHER..." He didn't want them to fight over this.

"it's okay bro, i'm glad nothing happened, we are not mad, i promise... "Sans told pushing Red aside and wrapping his arms around Papyrus waist "the only thing that matters is that you are okay... everything else we can make it work..."

"yeah, it's good to have ya back... it's good you're okay..." Red muttered, a little absent.

The group entered the house still squeezing Papyrus in the middle.

XI

"so... then what this?" Red asked him pointing it at the cardboard box he had dragged all the time when they all sat at the table to eat "did you buy me an apologize gift? hope it's spiked mustard... i like it with whiskey..."

Taking a deep breath, Papyrus placed their dishes, loaded with a healthy ration of _carbonara_ _spaghetti _and prepared himself to tell them all what happened.

His hunger, gone, he... was going to have to twist the truth a little, still he told them someone called at the door a long time, but didn't tell them about the sheer fear he felt. Only that he heard noises in his room and went to see, finding out the rose petals all around... then heard the door slamming shut.

Papyrus told them how he found the box while looking for an intruder. Asking Sans if it was something he ordered, feeling uncomfortable when his brother said no...

He explained how he went chasing the intruder... and forgot the time... deciding last minute not telling them anything about Blue... He was still not sure what to made about that encounter... It had been so unlikely him to just hang out with a stranger.

Not matter how charming said stranger could be.

Particularly given his state... but he felt nothing particularly menacing about the little skeleton... quite the opposite indeed.

He felt at ease with him... it might be because he had thought it was Sans at first glance...?

The two of them shared some sort of similarity in a deep lever... calmness perhaps, it felt a little like home, like he had known him for _years_ ...

"ya hearing...?" Red asked poking at his leg.

"I'M SORRY WHAT...?"

"see? told ya... "

"do you want us to open it for you paps?"

Papyrus gave them an unsure look, what where they talking about...?

"could be from one of those nasty sons of a bitch trying to play ya... it could be something dangerous"

"OH..." He realized they were still talking about the box "... YES, OF COURSE, I THINK IT WILL BE FOR BEST IF YOU DO, BROTHER..."

With a nod Sans and Red started carefully opening the box... then showed it to Papyrus, inside were very few things…

But nothing weird or dangerous at least at first sight...

Inside there was an assortment of dried leaves and flowers... stack of photos tied with a black ribbon, and two small velvet boxes...

Red passed him the pictures... Untying the ribbon Papyrus started looking at them, befuddled. It were all pictures of him. Normal everyday pictures of him taking a stroll in Snowdin Town, long long ago. Of him setting up the electricity maze... And then a few of him just walking in Waterfall... or sitting in the middle of a patch of Echo Flowers...

His hands trembled a little at the sight of the beautiful echo flowers... Then the pictures shifted to his life on surface. One of him standing in line during the first autograph signing of Mettaton's first cooking book. Published just a few months after reaching surface... "Killer Recipes" He... still remembered trying out to sewn a glamburger to impress his on-line followers...

One of him at the door of Alphys' and Undyne's house. It had been the new year party... One of him in the crowd with Sans at a Mettaton concert... It had been in that concert when he had saw Victor for the first time... He remembered how friendly the human had been to him... He remembered the moment Mettaton talked with him alone for the first time...

The pictures were not especially worrisome, or terrible... but they were getting more and more close and progressively disturbing... as the angle got closer... 

Lots of pictures of their dates followed... at restaurants, at the shopping mall, at the beach... the next few where of him waving at fans at different events by Mettaton's arm, and then one very close of him sitting next to Victor cheering on from the VIP zone... during a rehearsal...

And then... one of him... the night of the breakup... sleeping on the corner of the backstage... with all the flowers in the floor, magic still staining his face...

Papyrus felt revolted at the image... horrified at the implication that someone... had saw him like that... in his worst moment... and took a picture of it...

Crushing the picture on his clutching the picture with rage he noticed that there was something on the back of it, turning the picture he found out that there was something scribbled over in a maroon tint...

"_Love you, my angel"_

Perturbed Papyrus looked at the back of all the other pictures finding the same word "my angel" in each one of them...

His hands started trembling so hard he drooped the bundle all over the table...

"pap? are you alright...?" Sans voice sounded really far... 

"... woah..." Red told, taking the pics and looking at the back of them, disgust clearly in his face "whoever left you this... was a reaally sick fucker"

Papyrus smashed that last picture on his fist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aand... I'm Back... I'm really, really sorry for being absent for so long... It has been a rough while, lots of things happened at once, but despite that I still love this story and want to finish it, to anywhere you want to take it. 
> 
> So far I want to thank Chrisven for their vote. They want to see Edge/Papyrus as the main couple. Thank you for the interest! It gave me the inspiration needed to keep it writing. The main couple will be Edge/Papyrus.


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